Pats On The Head
Or - The
Eclectic Kudos, Flaccid Text
Everyone enjoys
being appreciated. It’s human nature to want acknowledgement on our
effort. People need positive reinforcement and encouragement to produce
their best.
Having said
that, what springs to mind as the best acknowledgement on your work?
Money? Fame?
Control?
Very telling,
isn’t it.
Money is nice.
*snort* Who the hell am I
kidding? Money is very nice to have. It’s lovely to receive a check
for something you’ve written. Bloody orgasmic.
Fame? Fame’s
cool. (I had my 15 min. such as it was) But it leaves you feeling like
someone talks to you or writes to you only because your work might be
known within their circle of friends. Name-droppers make strange coffee
buddies.
Control?
Ah, now we come
to the REAL acknowledgement.
Think about it.
When we were kids, we behaved in a more mature or responsible way to
gain control. Perhaps an increase in allowance, more privileges or
better curfew. We earned
the gains and praise we received. It was a simple math calculation. Good
behavior plus responsibility equals greater benefits. Does it get
simpler than that?
So as adults,
we expect some form of increased benefits for our hard work. Cash,
medical benefits, great reviews, good response for a charity, Pulitzer,
etc. We feel that we’ve
earned some sort of recompense for our effort. If we do something purely
altruistic, we expect nothing. I’ve written text for charity
organizations as part of my donations budget. But that’s not what
we’re talking about here, although even altruism has its
“feel-good” rewards.
Back to
control.
If we work our
asses off, making sure the standard of the work is top quality and well
thought out, should there not be some form of compensation for our
efforts? Even if it is just enjoying writing for free? Bah and humbug to
you if you answered in the negative. My cynical guess would be that
you’re not being honest with yourself. But I’m just a pseudonym so
what do I know?
Now we come to
the crux of the matter. You knew we had to get here eventually. So, here
we stand. At the crossroads to Fame, Fortune and Control.
Fortune buys us
all those goodies in life we’d just love to have.
Fame gets us
recognized, until the next writer comes along.
A certain
amount of control over our efforts allows us a modicum of dignity and
self-worth. Not to mention feeling confident enough to produce even
better work.
When we’re
offered creative control as part of a job, we throw our all into it. Our
best efforts come from non-restriction. A deadline, yes. Formula
writing? That would be a huge, resounding no.
Oh sure, we might crank out a formula piece once in a while if
the fortune part seems to be dragging the left hind teat. But the wallet
has to be really flat.
Allow us the
freedom to create. To be ourselves and put ourselves out for the end
result. We’ll thrive like a dandelion seed.
Take control
away bit by bit and watch us wither. We begin to question our part in
the end result. When that happens, you end up with a bunch of
malnourished, scrawny, blank-eyed writers.
Not even coffee can cure this.
To take away
our control piece by piece is to strip us of what makes us writers. You
leave us as a cog in a machine. Turning out work day after tedious day.
The writing becomes flaccid and indifferent. The aroma of mediocrity
rots slowly into the stench of stagnant talent.
If we’re
given something other than an empty pat on the head or ever mounting
futility, we produce sterling work. We give what is in our soul to give.
_____________________
Copyright 2002 - SatiricQuill |
